AGENTS

Kunming to be convention venue

Scheduled to be held from August 18-20, 2017, the 64th Convention & Exhibition of TAAI will be held in Kunming located in the Yunnan province. Registrations will open on July 5 and close on July 20. The Travel Agents Association of India (TAAI) has chosen the beautiful and picturesque city …

Read More »

Hogwarts’ charm to spellbind Indians

Celebrating the 20th anniversary of the first Harry Potter novel, Scotland has introduced new itineraries mapping the locations mentioned in the legendary collection of novels. Potter-related tourist magnets include Scotland’s Glenfinnan Viaduct, where the Hogwarts Express travelled. I ndian visitors and locals alike can experience all things connected to Harry …

Read More »

MMT scouts for more hotels

Having identified hotels and international airlines as big growth areas for itself, MakeMyTrip is scouting for more acquisitions after Goibibo. Deep Kalra, Founder and Group CEO, MakeMyTrip, speaks to TRAVTALK about the growth areas for the company. HAZEL JAIN After the recent merger with rival online travel agent Goibibo, MakeMyTrip …

Read More »

Trade gives a thumbs-up to Shandong

Select agents from India were taken on a Fam recently by Shandong Airlines to experience the Chinese province. While all of them appreciated the friendly service, language barrier and food remained an issue for many. NISHA VERMA Anil Kalsi, Managing Partner, Ambe World Travels Shandong, for Chinese nationals, is a …

Read More »

C&K plans 300 franchises in 2 years

Extremely satisfied with the way its franchisee model is working in India, Group CEO, Peter Kerkar, says that Cox & Kings (C&K) now plans to expand this model to 300 more outlets in the country. HAZEL JAIN Q) How is the franchise model working for Cox & Kings? We chose …

Read More »

Sun, sea & sand beckon Indian tourists

Come summer or winter, Indian travellers are seaward bound. Travel industry experts throw light on which beach spots are doing well with discerning Indian travellers as they love discovering new destinations. Siddharth Jain, Director, Click2Travel.in and Sapphire Ventures Indians love beaches and have been frequenting destinations like Maldives, Sri Lanka, …

Read More »

The good, bad & ugly of GST

The GST Council finalised the tax rates of services under the Goods and Services Tax (GST) recently and the tax system will be effective from July 1. With five per cent rate for tours and 28 per cent for luxury hotels, travel trade professionals are trying to comprehend how business …

Read More »

Ancillary, the way forward

In an effort to stay relevant in the industry, Manoj Samuel, Director, Riya Travels, is providing ancillary services to clients apart from ticketing. Being in the travel industry for four decades, Riya Travels is an established name. Manoj Samuel, says, “We have created a bond with our clients, who trust …

Read More »

Minar enters luxury & MICE segments

In its 25th year of operation, Minar Travels’ Managing Director H.S. Duggal is optimistic about the company’s new MICE and luxury division ELBON and Vilasa, respectively, and says they are focusing on Asia this year. Minar Travels has carved a niche for itself in the Indian tourism industry over the …

Read More »

GST dashes hopes of tourism industry

Deliberating on the recently announced GST rates for tourism and hospitality industry, Bharat Bhushan Atree, Managing Director, Caper Travel Company, believes that rather than making India a more competitive tourist destination, we have in effect become the most expensive in the world. Bharat Bhushan Atree, Managing Director, Caper Travel Company …

Read More »